My first real God-Sized dream was placed on my heart at the ripe-ol’-age of twelve. I had spent part of my summer visiting my pen pal in Oklahoma and fell in love with everything Crimson and Cream. I just knew one day I would go to the University of Oklahoma and become a Sooner.
The dream never left my heart and eight years later I found myself (unbeknownst to my parents) submitting my application to OU. The acceptance letter came and it was time to face my parents. I wanted to cross the Red River and make my dream come true.
My dad packed a U-Haul with what little I had to furnish my first apartment and we headed north on I-35. Two very short days later, after they had helped me unpack, they left.I held back tears as my parents drove away, but they flowed freely once alone in my new home.
Those first few months were excruciatingly lonely. But time went by, things got easier, and I soaked up the new adventure. My dream come true.
Almost eleven years later and I’m still living north of the Red River. God’s placed other God-Sized dreams on my heart through the years – some He’s fulfilled and other’s I’m still waiting on.
There was the dream of volunteering with pediatric cancer patients. The dream to work as a news reporter. There was the dream of being a wife. The dream of being a mother. The dream of adopting. There was the dream of attending the SheSpeaks Conference.
I dream of finishing my book and having it published. I dream of my toes touching Ethiopian soil. I dream of adopting again (an African-American girl if you want all the details!)
What is it that keeps you up at night? That whisper from deep within, that when you try to ignore it, just gets louder; vying for your undivided attention.
It’s a stirring in your spirit that you are made for more – and most of the time there’s just a tad bit of fear associated with God-Sized dreams.
Personally, my biggest fear is not fulfilling God’s plan for my life and missing out on His splendor.
Holley Gerth, in her book “You’re Made for a God-Sized Dream” writes, “Every dream or desire you have that comes from God is an invitation for more intimacy with him….It’s all about being faithful where we are and refusing to quit until we see the vision God has placed in our hearts become reality.”
What are your God-Sized dreams? What’s keeping you from making those dreams come true?
Trust that the One who placed that dream on your heart, will make sure it comes true in His perfect time. Just step out in faith and be obedient to follow where He leads.
As Holley says, “Remember that today you are living in the answered prayers and realized hopes of yesterday.”